Ben Johnson didn't need to see Colston Loveland run a single route this spring to know what he has. The offensive coordinator watched the tape from 2025. He saw 58 receptions, 713 yards, and six touchdowns -- a rookie tight end season that ranks among the best in franchise history and quietly announced Chicago has its long-term answer at the position.
"I feel strongly about how we're coaching them," Johnson said Monday. "We went back to the fundamentals on all three levels of our defense." While referring to the defense, the comment also captures the attention to detail across the team and particularly the offense--and Loveland benefits from that focus.
The 2025 second-round pick from Michigan wasn't widely expected to produce at this level as a rookie. Tight end is notoriously one of the hardest positions to master early in the NFL, with complex route trees and blocking responsibilities, not to mention facing some of the league's best defenders. Yet Loveland posted numbers that would have made him a top-six fantasy tight end in most leagues if the position wasn't so deep.
Cole Kmet caught 30 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns. Kmet remains a solid professional presence but is not viewed as the future at tight end. Loveland clearly is.
The Stats That Matter
Loveland's 58 receptions ranked fourth among all NFL tight ends in 2025, while his 713 yards were seventh, and his six touchdowns tied for fifth at the position. For a 22-year-old playing in an offense still finding its identity under first-year coordinator Press Taylor, those statistics are genuinely impressive. His production came in meaningful moments--red zone, third downs, and against playoff-level defenses.
To put that in context, compare it to Kmet's best season in 2023 when he recorded 73 receptions for 719 yards and six touchdowns--accomplished in his fourth year. Loveland matched a similar output in his rookie campaign, sharing targets not only with Kmet but also with receivers Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III. Odunze caught 44 passes for 661 yards and six touchdowns, while Burden contributed 47 catches for 652 yards and two scores.
The competition for targets in Chicago is real, but so is the opportunity for tight ends in Ben Johnson's system. Johnson's offense in Detroit leaned heavily on the tight end position. Rookie Sam LaPorta flourished there with 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns--a clear indication of the scheme's focus on tight ends.
What Changes in 2026
Nothing about the Bears' pass-catching hierarchy this year should alarm Loveland's fantasy backers. Odunze stands as the WR1. Burden specializes in yards after catch and screens. Loveland is the middle-of-the-field safety valve and a red-zone mismatch.
Caleb Williams, the rookie quarterback, threw for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions in 2025. His connection with Loveland grew throughout the latter half of the season. From Weeks 10 through 18, Loveland averaged 5.3 catches and 64 yards per game--a pace equating to roughly 90 receptions and over 1,000 yards across 17 games.
Heading into Year 2, Williams has the advantage of continuity within the same offense. The Bears bolstered their offensive line by adding Garrett Bradbury at center, a veteran communicator who impressed Johnson from day one. Better protection should afford Williams more time to work through progressions, benefiting a tight end like Loveland who excels sitting down in soft coverage zones and attacking seams.
Loveland's 4.69 forty-yard dash at the combine doesn't make him a burner, but his route savvy, catch radius, and body control allow him to separate. Drops were not an issue last year--he caught everything within his frame.
The Kmet Question
Kmet remains on the roster as a capable blocker and a reliable third receiving option. However, the Bears' 2026 offense is unlikely to frequently use 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends). Johnson's offense in Detroit employed 11 personnel on about 72% of snaps, meaning a single tight end is generally on the field. That tight end will be Loveland.
Kmet will still see playing time in two-tight end sets and serve as a blocker in power packages. His target share, however, is expected to decrease to around 20-25 catches in 2026 unless Loveland suffers an injury.
Fantasy Verdict
Here's a firm stance: Colston Loveland is a top-eight fantasy tight end in 2026. He is not a sleeper or a breakout candidate anymore but a locked-in TE1. The combination of a second-year quarterback, an offensive mind that prioritizes tight ends, and an offseason of NFL conditioning is a proven recipe for production from the position.
The market hasn't fully caught on yet. Early best-ball average draft position data from Underdog and DraftKings places Loveland in the seventh or eighth round, typically as the seventh or eighth tight end off the board. That's reasonable but leaves room for upside if he climbs into the top five by midseason.
Risks are not talent-based but target competition related. Odunze, Burden, D'Andre Swift out of the backfield, and even Kmet in short-yardage all require catches. Williams spread the ball around effectively in his rookie year, and there's no indication he will significantly shift that approach.
However, tight end is a position of scarcity--only around six or seven true difference-makers exist in a 12-team league. Most options outside that group are dart throws. Loveland, with his reliable 58-catch floor and potential 80-catch ceiling, is firmly among the difference-makers.
The Bottom Line
Ben Johnson called Burden "electric" during the offseason, an exciting endorsement for fantasy managers eyeing the wide receiver position. But last season's data shows the tight end is the player who truly emerged.
Loveland achieved his production without the benefit of a schematic advantage that often benefits tight ends as coordinators adjust. Now, with a full offseason in the system, a quarterback with a year of starting experience, and a coordinator who understands exactly how to deploy the position, Loveland is poised to take another step forward.
In a league where tight end production is often volatile and unpredictable, Loveland offers a rare blend of youth, proven volume, and perfect schematic fit. He is currently being drafted near his floor. His ceiling is a top-three finish at the position.
Buy the stock. Ben Johnson already told you he's all in.